Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
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Smarty Plants Question Topics
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
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| Soils for Acacia greggii and Bauhinia lunarioides May 02, 2007 What kind of soil do you recommend for anacacia tree? I was stunned by the one blooming at Center. I have had one for years and it has not been happy. I figure it must be the soil. View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Large tree and smaller specimen tree for Austin, Texas May 01, 2007 We are in the process of removing two Silver Maples in our front yard planted by the previous owner of our house. We live close to the Wildflower Center and have very shallow soil on top of rock. We... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Should wax myrtles (Morella cerifera) be pruned? April 26, 2007 We planted Wax Myrtles in our backyard as a wall for privacy from the lot behind ours. Should we prune or cut back the tops periodically to get more fully developed bushes or let them grow naturally? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Mixed native plantings for steep slope in Austin April 18, 2007 Dear Mr. Smarty Plants: We wrote to you recently about plantings for a fairly steep slope in a park in Austin. We had asked about grasses and perennials. An article about planting on slopes in this mo... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Variegated leaves on Ungnadia speciosa (Mexican buckeye) April 11, 2007 I grew some mexican buckeyes from seed last year and one of them has variegated leaves. I haven't seen this before- have I just not looked at enough mexican buckeyes up close or is this an uncommon f... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native trees for cemetery plot in Karnes County, TX April 08, 2007 I'm looking for a tree for a cemetery plot in Karnes County at Pana Maria. There will be someone to regularly water it. I understand live oak and pecan are native to the area. I assume these would... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Identification of Diospyros texana at Enchanted Rock Park April 07, 2007 I took pictures last year in April of one particular large shrub in Enchanted Rock Park. The flowers are extremely fragrant, sort of cluster of tiny creamy white bell shaped. We came back this last we... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Spring blooming Acacia farnsiana in Austin April 04, 2007 I've been seeing a large shrub, possibly tree, around Austin this spring - and it is covered is small ball-like orangish-yellow blooms - very tightly covered in these blooms. From the car, it looks ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer |  | |
| Disease and soil disturbance effects on Pacific madrone April 02, 2007 I have a couple acres, here in Northern California Sierra Nevada foothills. My property has many, many trees - quite a few are the beautiful (yet messy!) Arbutus menziesii, or Pacific Madrone. Some ... View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
| Native evergreen trees with highest value for birds April 02, 2007 What native evergreen trees have the highest value for bird seed/fruit (other than Juniperus virginiana)? View Mr. Smarty Plants' Answer | ||
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